He played at the Cavern in Liverpool...long before that other group...
Use of the word "long" is maybe a little relative here.
The Cavern opened its doors for the first time on 16th January 1957 with the wonderfully named Merseysippi Jazz Band topping the bill.
The Quarrymen (as were) made their debut on the 7th August.
This was the first Cavern Skiffle Evening.Lennon was the only Beatle-to-be in the group at that time.McCartney would not make his debut for several weeks & Harrison wouldn't do so for several months.
Also on the bill that night were Ron McKay's Skiffle Group,Dark Town Skiffle Group & The Deltones Skiffle Group.
I have always loved The Beatles and The Spinners.
The fact that both could emerge from such a small area more or less simultaneously says something about the importance of Skiffle to postwar British Music as well.